Sequencer apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for sequentially producing a plurality of output control signals to control the operations of particular work stations of an electrographic apparatus, respectively, includes a plurality of light actuable photocells, each such photocell being: (a) disposed in a predetermined fixed spaced relationship with respect to the other photocells, and (b) adapted when actuated by light to produce an output control signal. The apparatus further includes a source of light; a rotatable light conductive member disposed with respect to the light source to sequentially conduct light from the source to illuminate different positions of a predetermined path; a plurality of light pipes defining light conducting paths, each such pipe being movable to selectable positions relative to the predetermined path and adapted when illuminated to conduct light to a particular photocell to actuate such photocell; and at least one mechanism coupled to the pipes for varying pipe position relative to the predetermined path to thereby adjust the timed sequence of the output signals produced by the photocells.

United States Patent [191 Stoever Sept. 25, 1973 SEQUENCER APPARATUS[57] ABSTRACT lnvemorl Hans 0H0 Slower, Rochester, Apparatus forsequentially producing a plurality of out- [73] Assigneez Eastman Kodakcompany put control signals to control the operations of particu-Rochester, NY. lar work stations of an electrographic apparatus, re-

spectively, includes a plurality of light actuable photol l Filedi p1972 cells, each such photocell being: (a) disposed in a pre- [21] AppLNo; 248,515 determined fixed spaced relationship with respect to g theother photocells, and (b) adapted when actuated by light to produce anoutput control signal. The appara- 250/227 250/219 DR, 350/9 R tusfurther includes a source of light; a rotatable light [51] Int. Cl. G02b5/14 [58] Field of Search 250/227, 231 R, 231 SE, 250/219 DR; 350/96 B[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,224,279 12/1965 Galli .1250/227 3,399,347 8/1968 Martens....

2,938,666 5/1960 Rand 250/227 Primary Examiner lames W. LawrenceAssistant ExaminerD. C. Nelms Alt0rneyW. H. J. Kline et a1.

conductive member disposed with respect to the light source tosequentially conduct light from the source to illuminate differentpositions of a predetermined path; a plurality of light pipes defininglight conducting paths, each such pipe being movable to selectablepositions relative to the predetermined path and adapted whenilluminated to conduct light to a particular photocell to actuate suchphotocell; and at least one mechanism coupled to the pipes for varyingpipe position relative to the predetermined path to thereby adjust thetimed sequence of the output signals produced by the photocells.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures (IO 2o\ 22 40 ,'42 54 Am I i 1\ x B l w -l6o:2 E13 /24u 52 56 L l L A ,2

32 1Q 24 U 33 kii' it 34/ mar/212i u a *l b llb 3O 280 SEQUENCERAPPARATUS CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS Reference is made tocommonly assigned U. S. Patent application Ser. No. 19,999 entitled,MACHINE PROGRAMMER by Hickey et al., filed on Mar. 16, l970 now U.S.Pat. No. 3,659,109.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field Of The Invention This inventionrelates to sequencer apparatus for sequentially producing output controlsignals which control work stations of electrographic apparatus.

2. Description Of The Prior Art In electrographic apparatus, such as anelectrophotographic apparatus, an endless photoconductive member such asa drum or an endless web moves through a series of work stations whichare sequentially actuated in a proper timed relationship to form a tonerimage on the photoconductive member from an original document.Thereafter, the toner image is transferred to a copy sheet. It isimportant that the operation of each work station be exactinglysynchronized with the image formed on the moving photoconductive memberso that the work operations performed onsuch image at each work stationtakes place in a proper timed sequence. If any one operation is advancedor retarded, even slightly, with respect to movement of the image on thephotoconductive member, the resulting image transferred to the copysheet may be incomplete or improperly registered thereon. In U. S.Patent application Ser. No. l9.999 entitled. MACHINE PRO- GRAMMER filedMar. 10, I970 in the name of Hickey et ahapparatus is described forsequentially producing output control signals to particular workstations with such control signals being in proper times relation tomovement ofa photoconductive web. This apparatus comprises a rotatablecylinder divided into a plurality of light-tight sectors, each of whichhas a lamp. The apparatus further includes a plurality of photocellsdisposed around the periphery of the cylinder and which are sequentiallyenergized by the illumination of light from the lamps in each sector.Although such apparatus has performed satisfactorily in providing outputcontrol signals in proper timed relationship, it is diffi'cult toprecisely adjust the timed sequence of such output signals.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention toprovide an improved sequencer apparatus for producing output controlsignals in a selected timed sequence.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a sequencer apparatuswhich sequentially produces output control signals for controlling thework operations of work stations of an electrographic apparatus such asan electrophotographic apparatus and which is adapted to preciselyadjust the timed relationship of such output control signals.

In the disclosed embodiment of the invention, there is providedapparatus for sequentially producing output control signals whichincludes a source of light; and a plurality of light actuable photocellsdisposed in a predetermined fixed spaced relationship with respect toeach other, the photocells being adapted when actuated by light from thesource to produce output control signals respectively. The apparatusfurther includes means including a light conductive rotatable memberadapted to conduct light from the source to illuminate differentpositions of a predetermined path; a plurality of light pipes defining aplurality of light conducting paths movable to selectable positionsrelative to the predetermined path for conducting light from the sourceto particular photocells causing their actuation; and means coupled tosaid light pipes for moving the light pipes to selected positionsrelative to said predetermined path whereby the output control signalswill be produced in a selected timed sequence.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the detailed description of thepreferred embodiment of the invention presented below, reference is madeto the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view, partially broken away and partially inschematic form, of an apparatus in accordance with the presentinvention; and

FIG. 2 is a side sectional elevational view taken along the lines 22 ofthe apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of theinvention is disclosed in connection with an electrophotographicapparatus such as disclosed in the aforementioned U. S. Patentapplication Ser. No. 19,999 to Hickey et al. Because suchelectrophotographic apparatus are well known in the art, conventionalelements thereof have not been shown since it will be understood thatapparatus not specifically shown or described may take various formsknown in the art.

Turning now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a sequencer apparatus 10which produces a plurality of output control signals in a predeterminedtimed relationship with respect to each other. The apparatus 10 includesa housing having fixed parallel support frames; a top frame 11a and abottom frame 11b (see FIG. 2); a source of light embodied by a highintensity incandescent lamp 12 which is fixedly secured to the frame11a; and a rotatable assembly 14' comprising a shaft 18 which extendsthrough an opening 15 in the frame 11b. One end of the shaft 18 isdisposed between the frames 11a and 11b. The shaft 18 is: (a) an opening13 which receives the lamp 12; and (b) offset light conducting rotors orarm portions 16a and 16b formed of a light conductive material, which,when the member 14 rotates, are adapted to permit light from the lamp 12to illuminate predetermined positions of an inside surface 240 of acylindrical assembly 24. The surface 24a may be considered to define apredetermined path and the upper arm portion 16a as it rotates conductslight to illuminate an upper circular portion of such path, whereas thelower arm portion 16b as it rotates illuminates a lower circular portionof such path. The assembly 24 will be described in more detailhereinafter. The shaft 18 may be directly driven by the drive member ofan electrographic apparatus which may, for example, correspond to theshaft 45 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the aforementioned Hickey et alpatent application. In

accordance with the invention, the angular position of the shaft 18corresponds to the position of the image relative to the work stationsof an electrographic apparatus.

Fixedly secured to the top frame 11a are a plurality of photocells whichmay correspond to those photocells shown in said Hickey et al patentapplication. For convenience of illustration, only two photocells, and22, are shown. The photocells 20 and 22 are adapted, when actuated byhigh intensity light from the lamp 12, to produce output control signalsfor controlling work stations, such as described fully in the Hickey etal patent application.

The assembly 24 comprises a movable top member 26 and a movable bottommember 28. The bottom member 28 includes a tongue or rail 28a which isdisposed within a circular groove 30 formed in the frame 11b. As shownin FIG. 2, the top left hand portion of the member 28 is provided with athreaded segment portion 33 which extends around only a portion of theperiphery of the member 28. The threads 33 are operatively engaged by arotatable screw 32 such that when the screw 32 rotates in one directionthe member 28 will move in one direction (either clockwise orcounterclockwise) relative to the predetermined path defined by thesurface 240 and when the screw 32 rotates in the other direction, themember 28 will rotate in the opposite direction relative to thepredetermined path. The top member 26 has a similar construction to thebottom member 28 and includes at its bottom surface a tongue or rail 26awhich is received by a circular groove 38 provided in portion of the topsurface of the member 28. The rail 26 overlaps the remaining portion ofthe member 28 as shown in the right hand side of FIG. 2. A second screw40 is operatively engaged to a threaded segment portion 42 provided inthe top left hand portion of the member 26 such that when the screw 40rotates in one direction, the member 26 rotates in one direction (eitherclockwise or counterclockwise) about the predetermined path and when thescrew 40 rotates in the opposite direction, the member 26 rotates in theopposite direction about the predetermined path. The members 26 and 28are adapted to be rotated independently of each other. It will beunderstood that the screws 32 and 40 may be selectively rotated eithermanually or under the control of a motor control system which may takevarious forms well known in the art. Each of the members 26 and 28 isprovided with a cylindrical opening shown with a radial orientation inFIG. 2, which opens onto the surface 24a: bottom member 28 has anopening 50 which receives a flexible light pipe 52 and top member 28 hasan opening 54 which receives a flexible light pipe 56.

The light pipe 52 defines a light conductive path such that when thepipe 52 is illuminated by light from the source 12 conducted by the armportion 16b of the shaft 18, the pipe 52 conducts light to illuminateand actuate the photocell 20. Similarly the light pipe 56 whenilluminated by light from the arm portion 16a conducts light along alight conductive path to illuminate and actuate the photocell 22. As isclear from FIG. 1, either member 26 or 28 may be a considerable distancerelative to the predetermined path, changing the alignment of theopening of the corresponding light pipes in the predetermined path.Because the pipes are flexible, they may be bent to still permit lightfrom the lamp 12 to illuminate corresponding photocells. Thus, preciseadjustments of the timed sequence of output control signals may beeffected by apparatus in accordance with the invention.

In operation, the screws 32 and 40 are selectively rotated to positionswherein the members 26 and 28 and consequentially the light pipes 52 and56 are positioned (and if need be bent) with reference to thepredetermined path 24a so that these pipes conduct light to thephotocells 20 and 22 causing them to produce output control signals in aprecise timed sequence.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference toa preferred embodiment thereof, but it will be understood thatvariations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scopeof the invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for sequentially producing output control signals tooperate work stations of electrographic apparatus in a selected timedsequence which includes means for receiving a light source, comprising:

a. a plurality of light actuable photocells disposed in fixed spacedrelationship relative to each other, each of said photocells beingadapted when illuminated by light from said source to produce an outputcontrol signal;

b. means defining a predetermined path;

c. a rotatable light conductive means disposed relative to the lightsource for sequentially illuminating different positions of thepredetermined path;

d. a plurality of movable light pipes disposed in selectable positionsrelative to the predetermined path, each said pipe defining a lightconductive path for conducting light from a particular selected positionrelative to the predetermined path when illuminated by said light fromthe source to illuminate a particular photocell; and

e. means coupled to said light pipes for moving said pipes to selecttheir positions relative to the predetermined path whereby the outputcontrol signals will be produced in a selected timed sequence, tosequentially operate work stations.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pipe moving meansincludes at least two movable membe'rs which are independently movableto selectable positions relative to the predetermined path, each saidmember being coupled to at least one of said light pipes.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 2 wherein said rotatable lightconductive means includes a rotatable member having two light conductingarm portions disposed relative to the light source so that said armportions cause the sequentially illumination of different light pipes.

1. Apparatus for sequentially producing output control signals tooperate work stations of electrographic apparatus in a selected timedsequence which includes means for receiving a light source, comprising:a. a plurality of light actuable photocells disposed in fixed spacedrelationship relative to each other, each of said photocells beingadapted when illuminated by light from said source to produce an outputcontrol signal; b. means defining a predetermined path; c. a rotatablelight conductive means disposed relative to the light source forsequentially illuminating different positions of the predetermined path;d. a plurality of movable light pipes disposed in selectable positionsrelative to the predetermined path, each said pipe defining a lightconductive path for conducting light from a particular selected positionrelative to the predetermined path when illuminated by said light fromthe source to illuminate a particular photocell; and e. means coupled tosaid light pipes for moving said pipes to select their positionsrelative to the predetermined path whereby the output control signalswill be produced in a selected timed sequence, to sequentially operatework stations.
 2. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidpipe moving means includes at least two movable members which areindependently movable to selectable positions relative to thepredetermined path, each said member being coupled to at least one ofsaid light pipes.
 3. The invention as set forth in claim 2 wherein saidrotatable light conductive means includes a rotatable member having twolight conducting arm portions disposed relative to the light source sothat said arm portions cause the sequentially illumination of differentlight pipes.